Women’s soccer short in championship

By Lacy Searcy

DeKALB | When the title was on the line, the NIU women’s soccer team came up short.

The seventh-seed Huskies were defeated by fifth-seed Toledo in the MAC championship 2-1 on Sunday in Toledo.

Toledo made the first score late in the first half when freshman forward Molly Cornwell scored .

“The first goal was quality,” NIU assistant head coach Paul Jobson said. “The Rockets caught us in a cross and they scored.”

In the second half, the Huskies had trouble finding a rhythm. The Rockets took advantage and senior forward Ashley Gerwin made the score 2-0 less than three minutes into the new half.

With 87:38 remaining, NIU sophomore midfielder Thea Johnson scored the first goal for the Huskies to put the score at 2-1.

But NIU didn’t have enough in the tank. The clock hit zero and the Huskies’ championships dreams were shattered.

On Friday, the Huskies defeated sixth-seed Kent State 1-0 to advance to the MAC Championship for the first time since 1998.